Robinson was born in on January 26, 1693 in South Kingstown in the Rhode Island colony. He was the eighth of twelve children born to Mary Robinson and Rowland Robinson, who married in 1676 and acquired a fortune and considerable land holdings. His mother was a granddaughter of Governor Henry Bull and his father, a deputy to the general assembly, was a relatively late immigrant to Rhode Island, arriving in Newport from Cumberland, England in 1675. His maternal grandparents were John Allen, a wealthy farmer, and Elizabeth Allen.
Career
Robinson was one of the most prominent men in the colony for many years. He first served in a civil capacity in 1724, becoming Deputy to the General Assembly from South Kingstown, and subsequently served an additional eight terms. In 1735, and again in 1741, he was the Speaker of the House of Deputies. In 1742 he was appointed by the Assembly with four others to determine if the "woods" part of Newport, consisting mostly of farmers, should be set apart from the "compact" part of Newport, consisting mostly of merchants and tradesmen. The following year the "woods" part became the new town of Middletown. In 1745, Robinson was selected as Deputy Governor of the colony for a one year term, and then selected again in 1747 for another term, serving under Governor Gideon Wanton both times.
Personal life
Robinson married twice, had thirteen children, and resided at South Kingstown. His first marriage was in 1717 to Martha Potter, the daughter of John and Sarah Potter. Together, William and Martha were the parents of five children, including:
Rowland Robinson, who married Anstis Gardiner in 1741.
Elizabeth Robinson, who married Thomas Hazard in 1742 and was the grandmother of Rowland G. Hazard.
Martha Robinson, who married Latham Clarke in 1747.
Following Martha's death in 1725, he married Abigail Hazard in March 1727 in Kings County. Abigail was the widow of Caleb Hazard and the daughter of William and Abigail Gardiner. This marriage resulted in eight more children, including:
Robinson died on September 19, 1751 in South Kingstown, leaving a very large estate to his heirs, valued at over 21,000 pounds. He is buried in a Robinson family cemetery near Narragansett Pier. His widow Abigail died on May 22, 1772.
